• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
The Cut
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
Style
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Shopping
  • Design Hunting
  • New York Weddings
  • Parties & Red Carpet
  • Fashion Shows
  • Cathy Horyn
Self
  • Health & Wellness
  • Motherhood
  • Advice
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Science of Us
  • Horoscopes
  • Ask Polly
Culture
  • Books
  • Television
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Celebrity
Power
  • Politics
  • Work
  • Money
  • Rebecca Traister
More
  • Latest Stories
  • Video
  • About Us
  • The Cut Shop
  • nymag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
make it work
November 2, 2012

Project Runway All Stars Recap: Disco InferNO

By Lauren Hoffman

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
Photo: Lifetime

The best comparison I can make between Runway and All Stars — I’m sorry, but if Lifetime doesn’t want people constantly comparing them, they should refrain from airing them in back-to-back seasons — is that it’s like seeing a musical on Broadway and then seeing it restaged at the high school in your hometown. It’s the same show, and you can tell the high-school kids are trying their best, but it doesn’t come close to the original.

And this raises the question: How much of the problem comes down to host Carolyn Murphy, exactly? She meets the designers at the Nine West showroom, and you can tell she’s trying, but instead of anything resembling Heidi Klum’s charisma, she speaks in a very, very slow near-simper, like a kindergarten teacher. She explains to the designers that they’ll be creating a disco party look (oh God, this will end badly) based around Nine West’s line of seventies-inspired shoes. The designers pick shoes, and again, it’s a schoolyard-style pick and a popularity contest; this time, Laura is chosen last. I approve.

“I grew up behind the Iron Curtain,” says Uli as the designers sketch. “I think my disco was … different than everyone else’s.” Fair point! Casanova announces his plans to knit a spider web for his design, which is the best news I’ve heard all episode. After a quick jaunt to Mood (where Andrae looks for fabrics with “a lot of vocabulary”), it’s straight to work, since this is a one-day challenge. Kayne wins the distinction of being the first person in several seasons to say “palazzo pants” out loud. Suede talks optimistically about how excited he is to incorporate the feedback the judges gave him last week; some might assume that his chipper voice-over is a sign that he’ll be going home this week, but I am immune to your tricks, All Stars producers.

Joanna shows up for her visit and jokes that she’s the only person in the room who really remembers the seventies, even though she calls it “the decade that fashion forgot.” She poses a lot of thoughtful questions — most of which have to do with whether the designers’ work is, in fact, representative of the seventies — and announces that hearing the word blazer makes her “shrivel up a little.” Andrae is making a coat out of what Joanna calls “pan-scrubbing fabric,” which is a perfect, hilarious descriptor; Emilio points out that it’s the same coat Andrae made last week, when he was in the bottom three. But perhaps my favorite moment comes when Joanna tells Suede that his look is giving her “a case of white-man’s overbite” and he has no clue what she means. She leaves after telling everyone there are some really, really good things happening in the workroom, even though she seemed to find every single look underwhelming.

Right around quitting time, an agonizingly awkward thing happens: The designers have a disco dance break in a mini-kitchen with a disco ball in it, during which only three people dance, and everyone else sits around wanting to go home and get in bed. After that, back at the hotel, the designers play a video message that Joanna has gotten Karl Lagerfeld to tape for him. The designers freak out, even though the message has the general feel of a man who’s been taken hostage and is reciting demands for his release. That’s sort of a shame given how endlessly quotable Karl is.

Then it’s runway day! Andrae and Kayne are both scrambling to finish their looks, and Ivy’s behind, too, although she has both Casanova and her model helping her finish. Down at the runway, the judges are joined by Rafe Totengo, who’s the creative director for Nine West handbags. What’s interesting to me about the critiques is that they illuminate just how confusing this challenge — and, frankly, most challenges — must be to the designers. Was the goal to showcase the shoe? To be seventies? To be seventies and disco? Ivy’s look wasn’t seventies at all, but it matched the shoes — is that why she was in the top three?

At any rate, questions of fairness don’t have much of an impact here: Wendy’s outfit is a proper hot mess, and she’s sent home, a huge surprise given how cocky she was going in to the competition. Uli’s white, sequined minidress gave her the win, although several other strong looks were left out of the top three entirely.

Click through the slideshow to see all of this week’s looks! Which were your favorites?

Related

Project Runway All Stars Recap: ‘I’m Thinking Stegosaurus’
View
1 / 12 Photos
Anthony Ryan Auld I can see what Anthony Ryan was trying to do here, but this look was a misstep. Even though the fabrics he chose are sparkly, t... Anthony Ryan Auld I can see what Anthony Ryan was trying to do here, but this look was a misstep. Even though the fabrics he chose are sparkly, the color palette of the look is ultimately pretty neutral, and that's an odd choice when you have the option of  going really bright and over the top because of the nature of the challenge. I think the judges may have responded to it more if he'd chosen different colors; at the same time, I think there are issues with fit here that many of the other designers didn't struggle with — it's great on the model from the back, but the cut and placement of the front panel aren't flattering. Photo: Lifetime
Casanova — Top Three This is far pinker than anything I tend to approve of (and shinier, too, come to think of it), but for disco, it totally wor... Casanova — Top Three This is far pinker than anything I tend to approve of (and shinier, too, come to think of it), but for disco, it totally works, as does the rest of this look. His technique for weaving the back is different from anything we've seen so far this season. The judges liked that Cassanova had the modesty and comfort of his girl in mind while designing, and on the whole, they thought the look was very fun and very seventies, even though they were torn about whether it would've looked better as a long dress. Photo: Lifetime
Ivy Higa — Top Three Ivy talked about wanting to create something that showcased the shoe without overpowering it. Georgina said that the gold in... Ivy Higa — Top Three Ivy talked about wanting to create something that showcased the shoe without overpowering it. Georgina said that the gold in the dress combined with the gold shoe made the look very cohesive. Isaac didn't like that the beadwork stopped in the back, but Carolyn called it a very beautiful combination overall. Rafe said that the look was a little too pulled together for a club look. I'm not sure what's pulled together about a see-through dress over hot pants, but he pointed out that the dress should probably be shorter. It's a beautiful piece — out of all the looks, this is the one I'd most like to wear — but I'm not sure if it's seventies enough. It definitely doesn't feel disco. Photo: Lifetime
Althea Harper Althea insisted more than once that even though she was born in 1984, she had just as good of an understanding of the seventies as ... Althea Harper Althea insisted more than once that even though she was born in 1984, she had just as good of an understanding of the seventies as someone who'd actually lived through that decade. That's not possible, but this was still a decent look. Photo: Lifetime
Uli Herzner — Winner Uli said she wanted to do something free-spirited and fun, and I think this look accomplished that. Rafe said that her model... Uli Herzner — Winner Uli said she wanted to do something free-spirited and fun, and I think this look accomplished that. Rafe said that her model was the girl he'd want to go dancing with, whereas Isaac saw a futuristic Cherokee space Cher (I don't get it either) and wanted more details on the back. Georgina congratulated her for choosing a simple shape, which allowed her to really focus on details and technique to create something that looked very complex in a short amount of time. For a seventies challenge, I think this is a great look — fun and true to the time period, while remaining editorial. Photo: Lifetime
Kayne Gillaspie — Bottom Three Isaac told Kayne that there was something very J. Lo about his look, but when Kayne tried to thank him, Isaac said... Kayne Gillaspie — Bottom Three Isaac told Kayne that there was something very J. Lo about his look, but when Kayne tried to thank him, Isaac said that it wasn't a compliment, which was unfortunate and not really constructive at all, especially since Isaac couldn’t say why. Georgina complimented the tailoring of the pants, especially how carefully Kayne lined up the chevrons, and Carolyn said she liked the silhouette a lot. While this wasn't completely to my taste, I'm not at all sure why it ended up in the bottom three. It seemed like most of the judges disliked the texture of the sequined top combined with the flowing pants, but that seemed wholly inoffensive to me. Photo: Lifetime
Wendy Pepper — Eliminated Wendy said that this look was inspired by how much she loves tuxedos; she wanted to create a feminine play on that that... Wendy Pepper — Eliminated Wendy said that this look was inspired by how much she loves tuxedos; she wanted to create a feminine play on that that was very graphic and relied on black and white. The result was, as you can see, a mess, despite Joanna's efforts to reel her in during her critique. Carolyn "just wasn't crazy about it," and Georgina said that she didn't see a tuxedo in it at all. Rafe said that he didn’t know what he was looking at — it was an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink design. Isaac liked the graphic quality of the look, but said that it felt both a little too theme park and a little juniors, and I agree. It's like the look was assembled solely with pieces from Hot Topic and Claire's. Photo: Lifetime
Suede Baum  I think Suede's look was more deserving of a spot in the bottom three than Kayne's was, and that's mostly because I didn't see the de... Suede Baum  I think Suede's look was more deserving of a spot in the bottom three than Kayne's was, and that's mostly because I didn't see the design in his look. He referred to it as "sculptural in the front and flowing in the back," but it reads more as "gold sheet tied on to model." The end result is sparkly but not particularly unflattering, or even particularly well suited to the shoes he chose. The details of his styling are off, too. I'm not sure if I'm harder on him because I find his habit of talking to himself in the third person insufferable or what, but this really didn't do it for me.
Andrae Gonzalo — Bottom Three The judges agreed that Andrae's look is much, much better without the coat, which Andrae sat down to sew with less ... Andrae Gonzalo — Bottom Three The judges agreed that Andrae's look is much, much better without the coat, which Andrae sat down to sew with less than five minutes remaining before the models had to go to the runway, so it's less of a coat and more of a random bunch of tulle. The judges complimented the styling and the blouse and skirt without the coat, but pointed out that his missteps this week were the same as they were last week. What's more annoying to me is that Andrae rolls out the same gauntlet of emotions every time he's in the bottom: He hides his face, he cries, he flounces. It's okay to be upset, but it's important to be professional. Photo: Lifetime
Emilio Sosa I loved this dress, and I was surprised not to see it in the top three. It moved absolutely beautifully on the runway (it's less impr... Emilio Sosa I loved this dress, and I was surprised not to see it in the top three. It moved absolutely beautifully on the runway (it's less impressive in pictures, but still very pretty), and the colors were bright without being obnoxious. Then again, it's on the simpler side, and the length made it impossible to see the shoe, which reintroduces the question of just how important the "showcase the shoe" aspect of the challenge was. I think Emilio is a very strong designer with a really unique point of view, and I'm hoping the judges take notice of that soon. Photo: Lifetime
Joshua McKinley "We want a showstopper, not something that will stop ... the show," Joanna told Joshua in the workroom, and that was a ... Joshua McKinley "We want a showstopper, not something that will stop ... the show," Joanna told Joshua in the workroom, and that was a very, very good point here. Joshua's right about turquoise looking great on his model, but an entire pantsuit in this color is a lot, and with the neckline cut the way it is, the entire look reads as very fancy doctors' operating-room scrubs, which I can only assume is not what Joshua had in mind. Photo: Lifetime
Laura Kathleen I think what confuses me about Laura's look is that the jacket and jumpsuit seem so unrelated to each other. On its own, the jumps... Laura Kathleen I think what confuses me about Laura's look is that the jacket and jumpsuit seem so unrelated to each other. On its own, the jumpsuit is good, but it feels almost like resortwear. Throw a straw hat on that girl's head, and she's all set for her cruise to Cabo, not for Studio 54. I can see how Laura added the jacket to pull the whole look in a more seventies direction, but it just doesn’t work — as soon as the jacket's on, there's too much going on. Both pieces are solid on their own — just not for this challenge. Photo: Lifetime
1 / 12

Tags:

  • make it work
  • project runway
  • project runway all stars recap
  • project runway all stars
  • designers
  • slideshow
  • carolyn murphy
  • joanna coles
  • wendy pepper
  • uli herzner
  • nine west
  • More

More Galleries

in memoriam Dec. 30, 2020
30 Incredible Fashion Moments From Pierre Cardin  Remembering a creative visionary. 
By Andrew Nguyen
rest in power Dec. 23, 2020
A Photo Memorial for an Iconic Model  She passed away suddenly at the age of 50 this week. 
campaign trail Nov. 18, 2020
‘Tis the Season for New Fashion Ads  See the best ones from Gucci, Prada, Versace, and more. 
By Emily Burns
nyfw spring 2021 Oct. 26, 2020
How a Great Collection Comes Alive  Christopher John Rogers launched its first-ever online shop, along with a new campaign. 
By Andrew Nguyen
campaign trail Sept. 24, 2020
See the Fashion Campaigns for Fall 2020  From Prada, Michael Kors, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and more. 
By Andrew Nguyen
nyfw spring 2021 Sept. 22, 2020
See the Coach Spring 2021 Collection  Worn by Megan Thee Stallion, Kate Moss, Cole Sprouse, and more. 
By Andrew Nguyen
fashion Sept. 16, 2020
The Stunning Awkwardness of Face Masks on the Red Carpet  Celebrities tried to make the best of a strange situation at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. 
one word one shot Sept. 15, 2020
72 Designers on Their Spring/Summer Inspirations  Just in time for Fashion Week. 
By the Cut
red carpet Sept. 8, 2020
This Red Carpet Was Totally Surreal  But also amazing. See all the looks at the Venice Film Festival. 
By Emilia Petrarca and Andrew Nguyen
in memoriam Aug. 31, 2020
Remembering Chadwick Boseman on the Red Carpet  His style was bold, risk-taking, and always impeccable. 
the wedding files Aug. 21, 2020
The Design-Minded Couple Who Didn’t Want to Try Too Hard  The bride got a wonderful surprise the morning of her wedding. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files Aug. 14, 2020
A Costa Rica Wedding During the Rainy Season  Thunder roared during the toasts. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files Aug. 7, 2020
A San Francisco Wedding at a Big, Empty Pier  The bride changed into crushed-velvet pants for the disco-infused reception. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 31, 2020
An Elopement Among the Lupines in Iceland  The late afternoon was spent snapping photos near waterfalls and black beaches. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 24, 2020
A Pennsylvania Potluck for 280 People  “I looked at her for the first time and had this feeling like, You. I know you.” 
By Kaitlin Menza
milan fashion week July 22, 2020
Behind the Scenes at Gucci’s Virtual Show  Instead of models, members of the design team sported the eccentric collection. 
By Andrew Nguyen
the wedding files July 17, 2020
A Dance Party Under Puerto Rican Palm Trees  Bad Bunny blasted and pitorro flowed. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 10, 2020
A Zoom Wedding Only Two Digital Creatives Could Produce  The couple coordinated multiple video segments, breakout rooms, and a dance party. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 3, 2020
The Anti-Spectacle Wedding That Turned Into a Spectacle  Brooklyn Bridge Park was the site of their first date, proposal, and wedding. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files June 26, 2020
A Night at the Philadelphia Museum of Art  The flowers were specially treated to protect the masterpieces. 
By Kaitlin Menza
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Help
  • We’re Hiring
  • Press
  • Trademark
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell My Info
The Cut is a Vox Media Network. © 2021 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.